a few snippets of December...

 

What you get when the temps drop to 4, and the pumpkins are still on the steps...frozen TO the steps.  Oh well, how about if I add a little greenery around them? I can start a new trend for those of us who just didn't quite pack up Thanksgiving decorations a bit earlier!

   

This skinny tree has taken its usual place in the front window, 

always filled with simple decorations. 

And while I love retro colors and styles for my '63 camper, they don't really seem to fit with this old house. However; over the years I've been given so many beautiful handed-down aqua, pink, and muted pastel Christmas balls, I felt I had to use them. 

This little tree was pretty much a give-away in an "As-Is" section of a nearby store. My daughter and I looked it over, didn't see a thing wrong, and so home with us it came. (I felt like Charlie Brown rescuing his little tree!)

It just fit in a corner of the dining-room between windows that needed a bit of holiday sparkle.

Saturday my son comes home from university for Christmas break (yay!), we'll pick out our tree on the way home, and on Monday he'll be having his wisdom teeth out. I know, what a way to spend Christmas vacation...but, these things get squeezed in when they can. Sigh, as the old proverb goes: "Needs must when the devil drives."  It was simply the best time to fit it in.

Christmas dinner will be Sunday, and the days following his surgery will be spent enjoying mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, pudding, applesauce, ice cream...you know the drill.  

I hope you're all doing well...the count-down is on! 

With that said...spend these days doing what makes you smile, what makes your heart happy, and as they say: You do You. Stay in your jammies. Stay up late, or turn in early. Get cozy or dress up and go dancing.

Are my packages wrapped? 

No.

Are my cookies baked? 

No.

Are my cards mailed? 

No...they will be tomorrow; just think of them as Happy New Year's cards!

However, there IS a new furnace keeping things warm, firewood stacked by the kitchen door, and a snoozing dog by my side. 

All is well. 

Tomorrow I will put on my Christmas apron, turn up the music, bake cookies, and enjoy the days to come. 

However you're spending these days, there's a magic to them that we're never too old to enjoy. May you find all that magic surrounding you. 

(source unknown)

MJF post is up!

 

My December MaryJane’s Farm blog post is now up if you’d like to visit with me!

Rural Farmgirl

 

and so it begins!

 

Let the fun begin! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

(Courtesy of Google images)

Light snowflakes falling, turkey roasting, and vintage jazzy music playing while watching the dog show…that’s what’s happening in my corner of the world (with a definite post-dinner nap in my future!)

Sending warm wishes for a happy, cozy day wherever you may be!  

MJF November post is ready…

 

Just a note to let you know the November MaryJane’s Farm post is up…if you’d like to pop over and read it, here’s a quick link: 

Rural Farmgirl

Thanks! 

a quick hello!

A quick note to say hello and a peek at what’s happening here. The weather has become cold and windy, we even had a bit of snow this week!

While it quickly melted, it’s reminded me I need to pick up the pace. I cut the last of the sage and brought it into dry for Thanksgiving stuffing (or do you call it dressing?) I brought in some pots of rosemary, begonias, and geraniums, hoping they will perk up the kitchen throughout the winter, along with the last of the garden peppers. I don’t think I have the energy to make pepper jam, any suggestions??

Jan you are so right - the green gingham skillet is on eBay! 

Avocado looks to me like the 1970s so not super old, but just right for holding Candy onions in a farmhouse kitchen. 

Will let you know what I do with the bead board – I am plotting and planning, scheming and dreaming!  I also found some handwriting (plus the vet’s name and number) on the wall. Maybe it’s just me, but I think things like these are treasures. Not exactly sure what the last sketch is supposed to be…

And lastly, while staying up way too late to finish a book I’ve been reading, my Aurora app sent a notification that the Northern Lights “might” be visible in my location. Since this is a rare occurrence here in the Midwest, I grabbed my coat and outdoors I flew! And while they only lasted a few minutes before the clouds rolled in, it was an absolute thrill to see them.

Hope all is well where you are…as for us, Bailey thinks it’s time for a nice afternoon nap.

things that make my heart happy…

Lately I’m spending the few remaining warm and sunny days we have cleaning out a little barn-and no, that doesn’t particularly make my heart happy, but some things are a necessary evil, sigh. 

What did make my heart happy (at the end of a dusty and dirty day) was this sight..

And while it was a storm to the north, the contrast in colors was absolutely stunning.

What also made my heart happy with stumbling upon oodles of what surely must be vintage bead board - again, dusty and dirty is the theme for the day, but it set my heart a flutter!  

I know I know, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but my mind was whirling. I want to redo the kitchen in an unfitted style-I can just see bead board on the walls and ceiling (be still my heart) and while there isn’t nearly enough for that, maybe just a special wall, or maybe the ceiling, or maybe having a cupboard built with some of it. I’ve tried to work with the kitchen, trust me, it must be out of the 70s. There’s only so much paint can do.

Then I found this in the barn, thinking it might be a cake pan until I turned it and found ??? on the side. Maybe not a cake pan, but a skillet - perhaps that’s where the handle was attached? Does anyone have thoughts on what it might be? Love the green gingham pattern! 

And lastly, I’ll leave you with a giggle-another little drive with my daughter (because yes, sometimes you have to drive 30 miles when you’re craving Raising Cane’s chicken!)  

You know how I feel about Barn-heart:

an oh-so pretty butter-colored barn,

a barn celebrating Johnny Appleseed,

and, here’s the giggle - forgive me - whatever this is supposed to be!

Good grief, we came over a hill and it was quite startling! I did a little homework on the image and evidently it’s related to the group The Grateful Dead-sorry, not my vibe. 

Again, my apologies, but after this, I was glad to see a little sunset “palate cleanser” to end my day.

To each their own as the saying goes!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all!

I love these photos, and although I didn’t take them, I did turn them black and white just for effect. 

The pictures are courtesy of a paddle boarding group known as The Paddlebroads. Each year they host a get together called Witches on the Water-so clever! The timing didn’t work out for this year, but it is definitely on my bucket list to go see next year…what a site!

Along with the Halloween theme, our friendly neighborhood spiders have been busy spinning their fall webs. This first one is on the clothesline, and if you look closely at the second one, each droplet is full of color. They’re really quite pretty, as long as you remember “heads up” while walking!

Last week, my daughter and I spent a day at The Quarter Horse Congress, the largest single breed horse competition in the world. The horses and competitors were amazing and a stroll around the marketplace was eye-opening,

Can I interest anyone in an $18,000 (used) saddle?

Maybe I need a new style,

or something with a little more sparkle!

The weather has changed quickly here to cold, wet, and rainy. In fact, we’ve had our first fire in the fireplace-oh no, not for atmosphere, but because the furnace has decided it just doesn’t feel like working-sigh. Technicians were out three times this week…today we’re trying a different company Grrr.

There’s still a few pops of color to be found -Dahlia’s, Ruby Slipper hydrangea leaves, and a rogue tomato plant that somehow found its way into the chicken run.

And so the month has flown- enjoy your Halloween - always such fun if you’re lucky enough to have little cowboys, super-heroes, and princesses at your door. And while there won’t be any trick-or-treaters here, everyone goes into town in search of the full-size candy bars, there will be pumpkin carving ( I really do like it!) snacks, and a not scary movie. 

Whatever your plans are, I hope you enjoy the weekend!